I  I 


lCUCATIOH 

nEPAP.TMEHI 


[Public — No.  178 — 65th  Congress.]^. 

[S.  4557.]  ‘ 

An  Act  To  provide  for  vocational  rehabilitation  and  return  to  civil 
employment  of  disabled  persons  discharged  from  the  military  or  naval  forces  of  the 
United  States,  and  for  other  purposes. 


Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
Sta  tes  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  this  Act  shall  be  known 
as  the  Vocational  Rehabilitation  Act.  That  the  word  “board/'  as 
hereinafter  used  in  this  Act,  shall  mean  the  “Federal  Board  for 
Vocational  Education."  That  the  word  “bureau,"  as  hereinafter 
used  in  this  Act,  shall  mean  the  “Bureau  of  War-Risk  Insurance." 

Sec.  2.  That  every  person  who  is  disabled  under  circumstances 
entitling  him,  after  discharge  from  the  military  or  naval  forces  of 
the  United  States,  to  compensation  under  Article  III  of  the  Act 
entitled  “An  Act  to  amend  an  Act  entitled  ^An  Act  to  authorize  the 
establishment  of  a  Bureau  of  War-Risk  Insurance  in  the  Treasury 
Department,’  ’’  approved  October  sixth,  nineteen  hundred  and  seven¬ 
teen,  hereinafter  referred  to  as  “said  Act,"  and  who,  after  his  dis¬ 
charge,  in  the  opinion  of  the  board,  is  unable  to  cany  on  a  gainful 
occupation,  to  resume  his  former  occupation,  or  to  enter  upon  some 
other  occupation,  or  having  resumed  or  entered  upon  such  occupation 
is  unable  to  continue  the  same  successfully,  shall  be  furnished  by 
the  said  board,  where  vocational  rehabilitation  is  feasible,  such 
course  of  vocational  rehabilitation  as  the  board  shall  prescribe  and 
provide. 

The  hoard  shall  have  power,  and  it  shall  be  its  duty,  to  furnish 
the  persons  included  in  this  section  suitable  courses  of  vocational 
rehabilitation  to  be  prescribed  and  provided  by  the  board,  and  every 
person  electing  to  follow  such  a  course  of  vocational  rehabilitation 
shall,  while  following  the  same,  receive  monthly  compensation  equal 
to  the  amount  of  his  monthly  pay  for  the  last  month  of  his  active 
service,  or  equal  to  the  amount  to  which  he  would  be  entitled  under 
Aiticle  III  of  said  Act,  whichever  amount  is  the  greater.  If  such 
person  was  an  enlisted  man  at  the  time  of  his  discharge,  for  the  period 
during  which  he  is  so  afforded  a  coui*se  of  rehabilitation,  his  family 
shall  receive  compulsory  allotment  and  family  allowance  according 
to  the  terms  of  Article  II  of  said  Act  in  the  same  manner  as  if  he 
were  an  enlisted  man,  and  for  the  purpose  of  computing  and  paying 
compulsory  allotment  and  family  allowance  his  compensation  shall 
be  treated  as  his  monthly  pay:  Provided,  That  if  such  person  willfully 
fails  or  refuses  to  follow  the  prescribed  course  of  vocational  rehabili¬ 
tation  which  he  has  elected  to  follow,  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  the 
board,  the  said  board  in  its  discretion  may  certify  to  that  effect  to 
the  bureau  and  the  said  bureau  shall,  during  such  period  of  failure 
or  refusal,  withhold  any  part  or  all  of  the  monthly  compensation 
due  such  person  and  not  subject  to  compulsory  allotment  which  the 
said  board  may  have  determined  should  be  withheld:  Provided, 
however,  That  no  vocational  teaching  shall  be  carried  on  in  any 


hospital  until  the  medical  authorities  certify  that  the  condition  of 
the  patient  is  such  as  to  justify  such  teaching. 

The  military  and  naval  family  allowance  appropriation  provided 
for  in  section  eighteen  of  said  Act  shall  be  available  for  the  payment 
of  the  famih"  allowances  provided  by  this  section;  and  the  military 
and  naval  compensation  appropriation  provided  for  in  section  nine¬ 
teen  of  said  Act  shall  be  available  for  the  payment  of  the  monthly 
compensation  herein  provided.  -No  compensation  under  Article  III 
of  said  Act  shall  be  paid  for  the  period  during  which  any  such  person 
is  furnished  b}"  said  board  a  course  of  vocational  rehabilitation  except 
as  is  hereinbefore  provided. 

Sec.  3.  That  the  courses  of  vocational  rehabilitation  provided  for 
under  this  Act  shall,  as  far  as  practicable  and  under  such  conditions 
as  the  board  may  prescribe,  be  made  available  without  cost  for  instruc¬ 
tion  for  the  benefit  of  any  person  who  is  disabled  under  circumstances 
entitling  him,  after  discharge  from  the  military  or  naval  forces  of 
the  United  vStates,  to  compensation  under  Article  III  of  said  Act 
and  who  is  not  included  in  section  two  hereof. 

Sec.  4.  That  the  board  shall  have  the  power  and  it  shall  be  its 
duty  to  provide  such  facilities,  instructors,  and  courses  as  may  be 
necessary  to  insure  proper  training  for  such  persons  as  are  required 
to  follow  such  courses  as  herein  provided;  to  prescribe  the  courses 
to  be  followed  by  such  persons;  to  pay,  when  in  the  discretion  of 
the  board  such  payment  is  necessary,  the  expense  of  travel,  lodging, 
subsistence,  and  other  necessary  expenses  of  such  persons  while 
following  the  prescribed  courses;  to  do  all  things  necessary  to  insure 
vocational  rehabilitation;  to  provide  for  the  placement  of  rehabilitated 
persons  in  suitable  or  gainful  occupations.  The  board  shall  have  the 
power  to  make  such  rules  and  regulations  as  may  be  necessary  for 
the  proper  performance  of  its  duties  as  prescribed  by  this  Act,  and 
is  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  utilize,  with  the  approval  of 
the  Secretary  of  Labor,  the  facilities  of  the  Department  of  Labor, 
in  so  far  as  may  be  practicable,  in  the  placement  of  rehabilitated 
persons  in  suitable  or  gainful  occupations. 

Sec.  5.  That  it  shall  also  be  the  duty  of  the  board  to  make  or  cause 
to  have  made  studies,  investigations,  and  reports  regarding  the  vo¬ 
cational  rehabilitation  of  disabled  persons  and  their  placement  in 
suitable  or  gainful  occupations.  When  the  board  deems  it  advisable, 
such  studies,  investigations,  and  reports  may  be  made  in  cooperation 
with  or  through  other  departments  and  bureaus  of  the  Government, 
and  the  board  in  its  discretion  mav  cooperate  with  such  public  or 
private  agencies  as  it  may  deem  advisable  in  performing  the  duties 
imposed  upon  it  by  this  Act. 

Sec.  6.  That  all  medical  and  surgical  work  or  other  treatment 
necessary  to  give  functional  and  mental  restoration  to  disabled 
persons  prior  to  their  discharge  from  the  military  or  naval  forces 
of  the  United  States  shall  be  under  the  control  of  the  War  Depart¬ 
ment  and  the  Navy  Department,  respectively.  Whenever  training 
is  employed  as  a  therapeutic  measure  by  the  War  Department  or 
the  Navy  Department  a  plan  may  be  established  between  those 
agencies  and  the  board  acting  in  an  advisory  capacity  to  insure,  in  so 
far  as  medical  requirements  permit,  a  proper  process  of  training  and 
the  proper  preparation  of  instructor  for  such  training.  A  plan  ma}^ 
also  be  established  between  the  War  and  Navy  Departments  and 


Uhe  board  whereby) these  departments  shall  act  in  an  advisory  ca¬ 
pacity  with  the  bojard  in  the  care  of  the  health  of  the  soldier  and 
sailor  after  his  discharge. 

The  board  shall,  ip  establishing  its  plans  and  rules  and  legulations 
for  vocational  trainihg,  cooperate  with  the  War  Depaitment  and  the 
Navy  Department  in  so  far  as  may  be  necessary  to  effect  a  continuous 
process  of  vocational  training. 

Sec.  7.  That  the  board  is  hereby  authorized  and  empowered  to 
receive  such  gifts  and  donations  from  eithei  public  or  private  sources 
as  may  be  offered  unconditionally.  All  moneys  received  as  gifts 
or  donations  shall  be  paid  into  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States, 
and  shall  constitute  a  permanent  fund,  tc  be  called  the  ''Special 
fund  foi  vocational  rehabilitation,'"  to  be  used  under  the  direction 
of  the  said  board,  in  connection  with  the  appropriations  hereby  made 
or  heieafter  to  be  made,  to  defray  the  expenses  of  providing  and 
maintaining  courses  of  vocational  rehabilitation;  and  a  full  report 
of  all  gifts  and  donations  offered  and  accepted,  and  all  disbursements 
therefrom,  shall  be  submitted  annually  to  Congress  by  said  board. 

Sec.  8.  That  there  is  hereby  appropriated,  out  of  any  money  in  the 
Treasury  of  the  United  States  not  otherwise  appropriated,  available 
immediately  and  until  expended,  the  sum  of  $2,000,000  or  so  much 
thereof  as  may  be  necessary  to  be  used  by  the  Federal  Board  for 
Vocational  Education  for  the  purposes  of  this  Act,  to  wit,  for  renting 
and  remodeling  buildings  and  quarters,  repairing,  rnaintaining,  and 
equipping  same,  and  for  equipment  and  other  facilities  necessary 
for  proper  instruction  of  disabled  persons,  $250,000;  for  the  prepara¬ 
tion  of  instiuctors  and  salaries  of  instructors,  supervisors,  and  other 
experts,  including  necessary  traveling  expenses,  $545,000;  for  travel¬ 
ing  expenses  of  disabled  persons  in  connection  with  training  and  for 
lodging,  subsistence,  and  other  necessary  expenses  in  special  cases 
of  persons  following  prescribed  courses,  $250,000;  for  tuition  for 
disabled  persons  pursuing  courses  in  existing  institutions,  public 
or  private,  $545,000;  for  the  placement  and  supervision  after  place¬ 
ment  of  vocationally  rehabilitated  persons,  $45,000;  for  studies, 
investigations,  lepoits,  and  preparation  of  special  courses  of  instruc¬ 
tion,  $55,000;  for  miscellaneous  contingencies,  including  special 
mechanical  appliances  necessary  in  special  cases  for  disabled  men, 
$110,000;. and  for  the  administrative  expenses  of  said  board  incident 
to  performing  the  duties  imposed  by  this  Act,  including  salaries  of 
such  assistants,  experts,  clerks,  and  other  employees  in  the  District 
of  Columbia  or  elsewhere  as  the  board  may  deem  necessary,  actual 
traveling  and  other  necessary  expenses  incurred  by  the  members 
of  the  board  and  by  its  employees  under  its  orders,  including  attend¬ 
ance  at  meetings  of  educational  associations  and  other  organizations, 
rent  and  equipment  of  offices  in  the  District  of  Columbia  and  else¬ 
where,  purchase  of  books  of  reference,  law  books,  and  periodif*als, 
stationery,  typewi iters  and  exchange  thereof,  miscellaneous  supplies, 
postage  on  foreign  mail,  printing  and  binding  to  be  done  at  the 
Government  Printing  Office,  and  all  other  necessary  expenses, 
$200,000. 

Sec.  9.  That  said  board  shall  file  with  the  Clerk  of  the  Flouse 
and  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  on  July  first  and  every  three  months 
thereafter,  for  the  information  of  the  Congress,  an  itemized  account 
of  all  expenditures  made  under  this  Act,  including  names  and  salaries 


of  employees.  Said  board  shall  also  make  an  annual  report  to  the 
Congress  of  its  doings  under  this  Act  on  or  before  December  first  I 
of  each  year. 

Sec.  10.  That  section  three  hundred  and  four  of  the  Act  entitled 
“An  Act  to  authorize  the  establishment  of  a  Bureau  of  War  Risk 
Insurance  in  the  Treasury  Department’’  approved  September  sec¬ 
ond,  nineteen  hundred  and  fourteen,  as  amended,  is  hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  11.  No  person  of  draft  age  physically  fit  for  military  service  | 
shall  be  exempted  from  such  service  on  account  of  being  employed! 
under  the  terms  of  this  Act. 

Approved  June  27,  1918. 


